Electrical signaling apparatus.



PATENTBD MAR. 17, 1908.

APPLICATION FILED JANA. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

I No. 882,089. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

B. F. woonme.

EL GTRIGAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. 1907.

4 SHFETS E'HLET 3.

No. 882,089. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. B. F. WOODING.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN14, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

gang/WWI Elk 01 011 No. 882,089. PATENTED MAR.17, 1908. B. F. woonme.

ELECTRICAL SIGN ALING APPARATUS.

A PLIGATION FILED J H.

Y A 4 1907 48HEETSSHBBT 4.

q Vi tmeomw '5 @"WWL- gmm 61M;

BENJAMIN l WOODING, DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1'7, 1908.

Application filed January 4, 1907 Serial No. 350,840.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that l, BENJAMIN l Wool)- me, a citizen of the lfnited States, residing at the city and county of Denvcrnnd State of'Colorudo, have invented certain new and useful lin )rovcments in Electrical-Si nnliiw 3 17 Apparatus; and l do declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such'as will enable others skilled in the art to which it uppertains to make and use the some, reference being had to the arccompttnying' drawings, and to the letters and figures oi reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical signaling apparatus being more especially intended for use in connection with railroad trains.

The invention includes apparatus for signoling'betwecn trains when the latter have spproechedwithin 2i given distance or have reached the same block whereby the electricul current is completed through signaling conductors suitably err-ringed. Provision is also made for constantly maintaining it pilot light in a cab of each engine; also for giving local signals as either 'tmin pnsses a station.

An important feuture of my improved apparatus consists in a folding contact mounted upon the train and having sullicient range of movement, to allow it to accommodate itself to varying conditions resulting from the swsyin movement of the train and also heeeuse or the dill crencc in height of the signal conductors. 'lhls contact is also adopted to told downwardlyupon the oiurinc or other part of the train with which it is connected, making it 'irncticnhle to pass through tunncls and still remain in operative shape.

'E-IeVing briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the some in. detail reference being made to the act-om pnnying drawing in which illustrated an embodiment thereof.

I In this drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation ol my improved ep mratus. Fig. 2 is an enlarqed detail view illustrating the folding contact shown in two positions, one in lull lines and the other in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is it view of the contact looking toward the left in Fig. 2, assuming thetthe contact is in the uprigl'it or full line position. Fig. 4 is a sectionul view in detail taken on the line 4---4 Fig. 2, the parts being shown on lurgerscale.

Fig. 5 is a. View showing smother form of contact. Fig. 6 is it top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

The same reference Cllzllz'lCtOlS indicate the some parts in ull the views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to -.t inclusive, let the numeral 5 dcsignute a part of the train as the cab of the locomotive upon which are n'iounted two arms 6 and 7. The lower extremity of the arms 6 is rigidly connected with it shaft 8 journulcd in boxes 9 mounted on the cab. The lower extremity of the arm 7 is made first to :1 shaft 10 suitably journaled on the cob. The upper extremities of the arms 6 and 7 are connected by means of bull and socket joints 12 rind 13 with two sepm. rated Contact members 14. These joints 12 struction. The construction 01 the joint 13 which is shown in Fig.4 will be cxpluined'in detail and from it the construction of the joint 12 will be readily understood. The n pcr or ball extremity of the urm 7 will e designated A and the inclosed metallic socket as B. This sockct is opcn'ns shown at l) to allow the reduced portion (l of the arm 7 to pass through. This opening is sulliciently elongated to allow the arm 7 to assume the dotted line position in Fig. 2. The socket- B is provided on opposite sides with flanged ports E to which the members 14 are secured by means of bolts 15." The metallic socket end its parts E are covm'ed with insulating material whereby the two arms 14 are in-. sulatcd l'romruch otluu'. 'lhc bolt 15 which forms the com'ic'ction hctwccn ouch arm 14 and tho Hanged part of the socket, is also surrounded by insulating material G. In this way the two arms 14 urn coi'nplotely insulutcd l'rom ouch other. 'lhcy are also permittcd a slight transverse rocking movement, as well as u folding movement to allow the contact us an entirety to assume the position shown by dotted lines in Fig.2. The members 14 are at the some time completely insulated from the arms 6 and 7. The l'olding contact is provided with an auxiliary contact comprising :1 plate 16 mounted on the arm 6 and insulated therefrom by a layer 17 of insulating material interposed between the parts 6 and 16. This plate 16 is also insulated from the contact members 14. The only function of this contact plate 16 is to engage a wire 48 and give local signals at stations as hereinafter explained.

The folding contact considered in its en tirety is normally held in the upright osition or that shown by full lines in- Fig. 2 y a spring 19 acting on the base of the arm 6 which is provided with a stop 20 against which. the free extremity of the spring bears along the track in such a manner as to e enother, these insulating gaged by the members 14 of the contact. These conductors'22 and 23 are arranged in blocks or composed of sections having their adjacent extremities insulated from each joints of the two conductors being arranged in staggered relation as will be readily understood in view of the state of the art and therefore need not be further described in detail. When the two trains reach the same block, or are in such position that their folding contacts on age the same block of the conductors 22 an 23, the current may be said to pass from one of the members 14, through a conductor 24 (see Fig. 1), to one pole of the source of electricity 25 mounted on. the train, the other pole of the said source through a conductor 26 to a ,signal light 27 and a bell 28, and thence through a conductor 29 to the ground or to the rails of the track, since the grounding of the'current in its passage from one train to another is usually accomplished by utilizing the rails of the track, the current assing through the Wheels of the locomotive.

his will be better understood by reference to Fig. 7 Which is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuits. After leaving the signaling apparatus b g wayof the Wire 29, the current passes to t e whee l.30 of one loco- -motive, thence to a track 31, and thence to a Wheel 31 of another, locomotive and thence through a conductor 32 to the si 'nal light 33 and bell 34 in the cab of the other locomotive, and thence through a conductor 35 to one pole of a generator or electrical source 36 of the other locomotive and thence from the opposite pole of said source through a con ductor 32 to the signaling contact member 14, and thence vto the signaling conductors 22 and 23.

In order that the engineer in each cab may be sure that the a paratus is constantly in working order, a p1 ot light 38 is maintained in the cab of each locomotive. This light which in the drawingis shown to be an incandescent lamp, receives its current from one ofthe members thence from 14 through a conductor esacse 39 to the lamp, thence through a resistance coil 40 to a conductor 41 leading toone pole of the electrical source on 1) and thence from the opposite pole ofsaid source through the conductor 24 to the other contact 14. F or the purposes of this specification it. is assumed that the two conductors 24 and 39 are connected with different contacts 14, that is to as T the conductor 39 is connected with one of these contacts and the conductor 24 with the other contact. assumption is entirely consistent, since for signaling purposes either of the members 14 is suiiicient. Hence in arranging the pilot light circuit it becomes practicable to utilize the conductor 24,.by connecting the same with one of the members 14, While the conductor 39 is connected with. the-other mem ber 14.

As heretofore intimated, provision is made for giving a local signal byeach train every time the train passes a station. For this purpose a suitable support a pole 42 may e erected at each station and provided with signaling devices, A conductor 45 leads from these signaling devices to a contact member 46 carried by an arm 47 mounted on the pole and engaging a wire 48 suitably su ported, the said wire also being engaged by t is contact plate 16 every time the train passes a station. lhorn' a binding post 4 on the plate 16 leads'a c'on duct-or 50 to a wire 41 Within thecab of the.

engine, the current bcingthence completed through the wire 26 (seel ig. 1.) electrical generator 25, the conductor 24, one of the contact members 14, the signaling conductor 23, and a conductor 51, to the local signaling mechanism 43 and 44,.

It will be understood that the signaling conductors 48 are short conductors arranged at the stations only and are arranged to be engaged by the late 16 of each contact. T his is well illustrated in Fi 7 of the drawing. in which an additional pole designated 52 is illustrated, for supporting one extremity of the Wire 48, thus insulating that extremity of the wire from the signaling conductors and preventing any local signals being given except While trains are passing the stations as heretofore explained.-

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the signaling wires 22 and 23 are mounted upon able support 54 alongside the track. The signaling contact is desi nated 55 and consists of a pair of arms @8151 having a bendi56, a horizontal member'57 and a vertical m'mber 58, the latter beingjournaled in supports 59 and 60, mounted on a part 61 of the train and insulated therefrom as shown at 62 and 63. Splined on the uppler extremity of the arm 58 is a stop 64 to w ich is connected the upper extremity of a coil spring 65 whose lower extremity is made fast the support as a bell 43 and a light 44.

folding the train (see Fig.

This

lli.

'othcr form of construction.

59; The stop 64 is provided with a V-shaped groove 66 in its u )per face which is engaged by a tongue 67 ot counterpart shape. The member 57 of the contact arm normally occupies a position approximately at right angles to the direction of the track. When, however, this arm meets an obstruction, it is free to swing rearwardly within given limits. As it does so, the stop 64 is forced downwardly out-he member 58 by virtue of the cam action incident to the tongue and groove connection between the parts 64 and 6U.- As soon as the obstruction ceases to act on the contact, the tension of the spring 65 returns 1 the arm 57 to its normal position. The tongue and groove connection between the parts 64 and (it). also serves to prevent thecontact l'rom swingingout of position under the inlluence of I its springtifi. when making the return movement after an obstruction has forced the arm 5 rearwardly or caused it to change its posit tion as heretofore explained.

The arm 57 ot' the contact provided with i an extension 65 which engages the wit in for local signaling purposes. 'lhis extcn. n on corresponds with the plate 16 oi the other form of contact. and the conductor 5t) leading from the extension (in performs the same l'unction as the conductor in the other l'orms of construction. The extension as is insulated from the part 5T'by an insulating connection (in.

The two contacts (see Fig. (i) corre spond with the two contact members llof the In other words thc contacts 35 are insulated from each other for pilotlight purposes and the conductors leading therefrom (see Fig. 6) are designated 3H and '24 the same as in Fig. l of the drawing.

It is cvidcnt that my improved apparatus f is adapted for use where there is only one train, assuming that any other means be 1 employed for closing the signaling circuit through the one train. it is evident that various means may be employed for closing the circuit through thesignalingdcvicesof the train and which may be substituted or emplo \cd instead of the other train.

hcrever the term station or stations has been employed in connection with the c.\'- planation of thc local signaling mechanism. it must he understood that thc tcrm is l' sul licicnt scope to cover.dangerous crossings or any otherpoints where it may be neces ary to give signals as trains pass.

Having thus described my invention. what l claim is:

1, In electrical signaling apparatus f r raihvays, the combination with line conductors arranged along the track. -a source of l l l l i i t conncctcd with the train to permit a suit electricity mounted on the train, and signal ing devices also mounted on the train, of a contact carried by the train and connected to close the circuit between the said conduetors and the signaling devices, the said contact consisting of two arms pivotally connected with the train to permit a swing ing or folding movement, and a contactmember having a ball and socket CODIHCiiOfi with both of said arms, the said contact member being insulated from the said arms, and arran ed to engage the line conductors.

2. In electrical signaling apparatus, the combination with line cmuluctors Forming a block signalin system, a source of electricity mounted on the train, and signaling devices also mounted on the train, of a contact carricd by the train and connected to close the circuit between said conductors and the signaling devices. the said contact including two i members insulated from each other and connected to engage the line conductors, theinner extrenntics of said contacts being pro T vidcd with V-shaped grooves which are en- 3 gaged by tongues of counterpart shape for the )urpose described, a pilot lamp located on the train and connected with a source of electricity and connections between the said lamp and the two contact memhcrs, whereby the circuit is constantly .closcd through the lamp.

3. In electrical signaling apparatus. the combination with line conductors arranged along the track and forming a block sigm'zling svstcm, a source of electricitymounted on the train, and signaling devices also mounted on the train, of a contact carried by th train and connected to close the circuit bctwccn the line conductors and the signaling devices.

said contact consi ting of two arm pivoially ing or l'olding movcnn-nt. a contact member having a ball and socket connection with both of said arms and adapted to engage the line conductors. and an auxiliary contact carried by the main contact but insulated therefrom, local signaling mechanism arranged at intervals along the tracl ,.and connections between thc said mechanism, the line conductors and the auxiliary contact when-by the circuit closed through the local signaling devices cach time the train pass-cs.

ln lcstitnony whereofl alliX my signature in presence ol' two witnesses.

BENJAUIN F. YOODING. 

